Peer Ambassadors:

• Have yet to meet with Peer Ambassadors, not sure of needs, level of teen’s experience with computers, location, and many other issues to begin planning our lab.
  Solution: We met with the group twice before bringing and setting up computers.

• We need to network the computers to the printer
  Solution: One Linux box is acting as a CUPS server. This computer was setup in the orange room. Other machines on the network have access to the printer through this server.

• We need to identify the appropriate software and operating system for the cataloging computer
  Solution: Linux with Alexandria. In addition to installing the OS and catalog software, we did a training session with the teens in charge of that project.

• We need to identify the technical person that will be in charge of the maintenance of the computer
  Solution: The sysadmin there is named Lyn, contact info in site info. Lyn however won’t be overseeing the Linux lab, that will hopefully be taken up by the teens and by Karen.
• We needed to build a computer that would be placed in a Champaign detention center. This computer will be used, specifically, to help catalog a small library of books available to patrons at the site. Because it is a detention center, we ran into a tricky situation because Internet access is completely restricted. Additionally, most open-source catalog programs used the Internet to collect catalog information.
  Solution: Per suggestions we downloaded a version of a open-source catalog program called Alexandria that would operate effectively, if not quite as seamlessly, in a no Internet environment. The Peer Ambassadors will have to do the cataloging manually, however, but it will be a much improved system for site supervisors. Also, it will serve the purpose of allowing for a digital record of book lending and library materials.
  Additionally, we learned about a version of Wikipedia specifically edited and designated for schools, that you could download and run as a local site on the desktop. This might help to serve any other information seeking needs that teens in the detention center might have.